2011 Daejeon Annual Science Fair

Another year passed and a lot of children were so excited for the 2011 Daejeon Annual Science Fair. The event was held from October 6 to October 9 with full of scientific activities as well as concert, craft stands, games, etc. Sunday morning, the last day of the event, with my backpack, little note, and camera, I submersed myself in a huge pool of children (and families of course). Honestly, before setting my feet on EXPO park that day, I had imagined a fair where they would showed seriously profound sciences. However, when I got there, I was like “AAA So many children. This is gonna be fun.” And yes, they had funny and serious scientific experiements that were so engaging and attractive to little kids. And that is really the effort of Korea in general, and of Daejeon in specific, in promoting Math, Sciences, and Technology to younger people, especially children.

Having no companion that day, I decided to be an “outsider” (or creeper as you wish=]) to hopefully capture some of the moments of the Fair.

This year's event features Alfred Nobel. At the moment, the Nobel Prize Committee were announcing the winners of this year's Nobel Prizes. Any connection? I don't know. Still he is a great scientist and really is an inspiration.

When was the last time you were so excited and curious about something, about the world around you? Curiosity can come from anybody at any moment in life but to be constantly curious and excited about this world, like the children are, is really another story.

Korea is getting more famous in robotics. Not only the robots for research but also those for daily life get more attention everyday. 2011 Science Fair witnessed a huge audience at every stand that had these cute little robots. The children were extremely excited with the coolness, geekiness, cuteness, and especially the funny dancing. So were the parents.

The best way to teach little kids sciences is to explain those profound concepts in a really simple and fun way and let them get their hands on something. The staff did a great job on this. In the picture, I think, they are learning about the structures of different kinds of cell. They actually create some clay versions of those.

Playing with chemicals

Constructing DNA

Some physics...

Biology

The majority of the audience that day was children ranging from little ones to middle school students. No matter how young how old they are, enthusiastically and curiously enjoying those little experiments is the common thing I saw in them.

Chemistry

Future engineer ;)

Korean kids really have a lot of knowledge in basic sciences. They learn and grasp things quickly as well. Here is the demonstration of levitating magnet after being submersed in liquid nitrogen. The staff explained in Korean which I had no idea. But I guess it should be really easy for the kids to absorb.

Baking soda + Vinegar = Balloon

I guess I should change the tittle of the page, something children. Feeling young again, really!